Skip to content

John Barclay to captain Scotland as three new faces named for tour

John Barclay beats Jake Ball to a lineout ball during the Six Nations match against Wales
Image: John Barclay will captain Scotland on their summer tour

John Barclay will captain a Scotland squad featuring three uncapped players on their summer tour.

Gregor Townsend has chosen Barclay as his stand-in skipper after the forward's Scarlets team-mate Greig Laidlaw received a Lions call-up.

Barclay captained the side for the final three games of this season's Six Nations, and the flanker will make the on-field calls against Italy, Australia and Fiji.

Townsend's squad includes three new faces - Glasgow centre Nick Grigg, prop D'Arcy Rae and Edinburgh hooker George Turner.

Sky Sports Pass
Sky Sports Pass

Watch instantly from just £6.99

Pete Horne and Willem Nel are back from injury, while there are places for Glasgow wing Lee Jones, Harlequins back Ruaridh Jackson and Edinburgh scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.

Townsend said: "We're looking forward to what will be a challenging tour of three different countries, playing three quality sides.

"This tour is all about learning and competing. As a coaching group, we will be learning more about our players and how they perform in a different environment against three sides with contrasting styles of play.

Also See:

Nick Grigg runs in a try for Glasgow
Image: Nick Grigg is one of three uncapped players in the Scotland squad

"We have assembled a strong squad, and this is an opportunity for them work with us for the first time. We're going to have three week's preparation in Scotland before we head overseas, which will enable us to implement the key components of how we will play.

"Ultimately, though, this is a tour that will be about competition - for each individual to compete for a starting place and for them to work hard and find a way to win every time they play."

Scotland take on Italy in Singapore on June 10 before tackling Australia in Sydney on June 17 and Fiji in Suva a week later.

Forwards: Alex Allan (Glasgow), Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), D'Arcy Rae (Glasgow), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Fraser Brown (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), George Turner (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Toulouse), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Tim Swinson (Glasgow), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), John Barclay (capt, Scarlets), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), John Hardie (Edinburgh), Rob Harley (Glasgow), Josh Strauss (Glasgow), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow)

Backs: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Ali Price (Glasgow), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow), Pete Horne (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow), Nick Grigg (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Gloucester), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh), Ruaridh Jackson (Harlequins), Lee Jones (Glasgow), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Tim Visser (Harlequins)

Grab a Sky Sports Day Pass and strap yourself in for a blockbuster Monday Night Football as Chelsea take on Middlesbrough. All the action live on NOW TV, no contract!

Around Sky